Stone Age axe unearthed in Odisha’s Cuttack district

Researchers have discovered an axe and artefacts which they believe are from the Stone Age from Talagada village at Khuntuni in Odisha’s Cuttack district on Wednesday.

A team of researchers from the Department of History in Ravenshaw University in Cuttack have found an axe dating back possibly to the Stone Age. The team comprising Prof Dr Chandiprasad Nanda, Prof Laxmikanta Mishra, Prof Subrat Kumar Acharya, Lecturers Umakanta Mishra and Priyadarshi Kar, along with 10 students, went to the site and began excavation to unearth more details.

After digging 10 ft, the researchers on Wednesday found an axe from beneath the soil which is believed to be from the Stone Age. The articles found from the site include–iron chisel, red and black pottery, filigree and stone artefacts.

“Excavation at this site would continue at least for five more years. The students would get a practical experience on archaeology. For the first time, Ravenshaw University has undertaken such research activity. We would continue to carry out such researches every year,” Prof Subrat Kumar Acharya said.

A day before, workers of a bridge construction company had found a human skeleton while moving the earth for construction of a bridge.

According to sources, eminent researcher Veena Mushrif-Tripathy, from the Department of Archaeology, Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune is scheduled to visit the excavation site today to study the items found from below the soil.

However, the mystery over the human skeleton found from the site still remains to be resolved. As the earth digging activities were being carried out with the help of machines, some portions of legs and hands of the skeleton have been separated.

The skeleton was found face down indicating natural death of the person.

Sources close to the development said the skeleton and other articles could be sent for examination at Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune or Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow.